“Not far, why?”
His hysterical laughing sets my nerves on edge. There’s a woman’s voice in the background, and he covers the mouthpiece. I give Robbie a sideways glance, and he raises an eyebrow.
“What the fuck, Tripp? Are you drunk?”
“No! I am getting a good seat for the fireworks. Remember my intern?”
“Yes.”
“She has a friend who asked for a favor. He’s thinking about expanding his facility and wanted her to look for architectural reasons. I agreed to come along and help advise.”
“Good for you, man, but what the fuck does this have to do with me?”
“Apparently, it’s the same gym Presley comes to for kickboxing.”
The hair on the back of my neck stands up. “So?”
“Did you know he’s an MMA trainer? All the girls seem to like him an awful lot.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? Who’s ‘he’? She has a female instructor.”
“Not tonight.”
“Is he touching her?”
“Not now. See you soon.” He hangs up, and my blood starts to boil.
“Change of plans. Go directly to the gym.”
Robbie speeds up as I fill him in on the conversation. He’s tense by the time we pull into the parking lot, both of us running for the door. Tripp and a woman I assume is his intern are in the waiting area, watching an arena filled with women. He gives us a slow grin and jerks his head.
The second I spot Presley, my heart starts racing. She’s wearing her normal workout gear, but there’s a man standing by her, holding her leg at an angle while using his other arm to show a swing. She stumbles into his body, and he catches her easily. I breathe deeply, waiting for him to right her, but instead, he twists so she’s in his arms and he’s helping her sidestep. Ember, Reese, and the other women watch with concentration as he uses Presley to demonstrate a side-kick-jab combo. His arm stretches across the front of her sports bra, rubbing against her tits, and there’s a low rumble that grows up my throat.
“What the fuck?” I spew, moving quickly.
All eyes land on me when I step onto the mat, crossing my arms and glaring at the man touching Presley.
“I’ll give you one second to get your hands off my girlfriend. After that, all bets are off,” I growl, and Presley falls back into him, shocked to see me.
“Finn!”
“Presley, come here, babe.”
“Finn!” she repeats, cutting loose from his hold. “Stop being rude!”
“I’ll stop being rude when another man isn’t groping you. Get over here.”
Her face starts to heat as she puts her hands on her hips. I can practically see the steam rolling off her as she narrows her eyes. The air in the small space changes. Her body stiffens, and she glares, challenging me. My dick grows hard at the thought of throwing her down on this mat.
I take a step forward, and she inhales sharply, realizing what I’m about to do.
“Finn Black, if you take another step, I’m going to kick your ass!” She tries to sound strong, but the crack in her voice gives her away.
There’s a collective gasp, and I vaguely hear Ember mutter something about Presley ‘making a mistake’. Robbie and Tripp come to my side.
“Sweetness, I’ve been gone for five days. I walk in here and see another man with his hands all over your body. Unless you want to put on a show, I suggest you get over here.” I move my eyes to the space in front of me and look up in time to see her face flash with understanding.
She finally relents and moves toward me cautiously. When she’s close enough for me to touch, I tag her behind the neck and gently bring her face to mine. “Not sure I like your kickboxing class.”